Oliver L. Spaulding
Encyclopedia
Oliver Lyman Spaulding was a soldier and politician from the U.S. state
of Michigan
.
. He completed preparatory studies, graduated from Oberlin College
of Ohio
in 1855, and moved to Michigan where he taught school. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1858 and commenced practice in St. Johns, Michigan
. He was regent of the University of Michigan
at Ann Arbor from 1858 to 1864.
During the Civil War
, Spaulding served in the Union Army
as a captain in the Twenty-third Regiment, Michigan Volunteers and promoted to colonel
and then general. He resumed the practice of law in St. Johns.
Spaulding served as Michigan Secretary of State
from 1866 to 1870. Afterwards, he became member of the Republican State committee from 1871 to 1878. He declined the position of United States district judge of the Utah Territory
in 1871 and later served as special agent of the United States Treasury Department from 1875 to 1881.
Spaulding was elected as a Republican
from Michigan's 6th congressional district
to the 46th Congress
serving from March 4, 1881 to March 3, 1883. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1882. He also served as chairman of the commission sent to the Sandwich Islands
to investigate alleged violations of the Hawaiian
reciprocity treaty in 1883.
Oliver Spaulding again served as a special agent of the United States Treasury in 1885, 1889, and 1890 and then as Assistant U.S. Secretary of the Treasury from 1890 to 1893 during the Benjamin Harrison administration
and 1897 to 1903 during the McKinley administration
. He was also president of the first International American Customs Congress, held in New York City
in January 1903 and again a special agent of the United States Treasury from 1903 to 1909 and then customs agent from 1909 to 1916.
Oliver L. Spaulding died in Washington, D.C.
, and is interred in Arlington National Cemetery
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Biography
Spaulding was born in Jaffrey, New HampshireJaffrey, New Hampshire
Jaffrey is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,457 at the 2010 census.The primary settlement in town, where 2,757 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined as the Jaffrey census-designated place and is located along the Contoocook River at the...
. He completed preparatory studies, graduated from Oberlin College
Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
in 1855, and moved to Michigan where he taught school. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1858 and commenced practice in St. Johns, Michigan
St. Johns, Michigan
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,485 people, 2,994 households, and 1,999 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,909.1 per square mile . There were 3,148 housing units at an average density of 802.9 per square mile...
. He was regent of the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
at Ann Arbor from 1858 to 1864.
During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Spaulding served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
as a captain in the Twenty-third Regiment, Michigan Volunteers and promoted to colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
and then general. He resumed the practice of law in St. Johns.
Spaulding served as Michigan Secretary of State
Michigan Secretary of State
The Secretary of State is the third-ranking official in the U.S. state of Michigan and one of four great offices of state. As the name implies, the officeholder was originally responsible for much of state government, but now the duties are similar to those of the other 47 secretaries of states...
from 1866 to 1870. Afterwards, he became member of the Republican State committee from 1871 to 1878. He declined the position of United States district judge of the Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
in 1871 and later served as special agent of the United States Treasury Department from 1875 to 1881.
Spaulding was elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
from Michigan's 6th congressional district
Michigan's 6th congressional district
Michigan's 6th congressional district is a United States congressional district in southwest Michigan. It consists of all of Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Van Buren, counties, and includes most of southern and eastern Allegan and a portion of western Calhoun counties.-Major...
to the 46th Congress
47th United States Congress
The Forty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1881 to March 4, 1883, during the administration...
serving from March 4, 1881 to March 3, 1883. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1882. He also served as chairman of the commission sent to the Sandwich Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
to investigate alleged violations of the Hawaiian
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
reciprocity treaty in 1883.
Oliver Spaulding again served as a special agent of the United States Treasury in 1885, 1889, and 1890 and then as Assistant U.S. Secretary of the Treasury from 1890 to 1893 during the Benjamin Harrison administration
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...
and 1897 to 1903 during the McKinley administration
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
. He was also president of the first International American Customs Congress, held in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in January 1903 and again a special agent of the United States Treasury from 1903 to 1909 and then customs agent from 1909 to 1916.
Oliver L. Spaulding died in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and is interred in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.